KANSAS CITY – The Chiefs actually came close to scoring a touchdown yesterday, but they did not because Shaun Williams was on the scene. More than ever, the Giants are happy about that.

Williams said his goal is to become more of a ballhawk, believing that is the one missing ingredient in what is becoming an impressive resume. He came up with his first interception of the season with 4:46 remaining in the first quarter, and it helped keep the Giants in control of a game they won 13-3 at Arrowhead Stadium.

Williams bailed out Kerry Collins, who fired into triple coverage to Joe Jurevicius and was intercepted by Ray Crockett, putting the Chiefs, trailing 3-0, in business on the Giants’ 21-yard line. They got as close as the 4 before Trent Green looked for tight end Jason Dunn and instead cost his team its best chance for a touchdown. Williams, playing with a deep thigh bruise, was stationed at the back of the end zone as he reached up for the interception, thinking for a moment about taking the ball out and then wisely going down to one knee.

“I just read Trent Green’s eyes,” Williams said. “I saw a tight end coming, I don’t remember exactly who it was. I dropped back and made a play on the ball. If I was 100 percent I’d have come out, but the best decision was not to.” It turned out to be the biggest defensive play of the game.

“You’re always looking for somebody to step up when the time comes, and Shaun was the one who did,” Jessie Armstead said.

Williams is quickly becoming a star member of a secondary that had undergone a dramatic change early in the season. After missing one game following a knee flushing, Jason Sehorn was back and played his usual solid game. As expected, rookie Will Allen started at the other cornerback spot, replacing veteran Dave Thomas, while another rookie, William Peterson, moved in as the nickel back, replacing Emmanuel McDaniel.

The new look worked well, with a few exceptions. Green threw for 184 yards but rarely got much done downfield, other than a 49-yard pass to Marvin Minnis, who ran between Sehorn and Sam Garnes and paid for the catch by getting popped by Garnes, slamming his head on the grass and leaving with a head trauma injury.

Allen said he was quite nervous prior to his starting debut but calmed himself down when he went out onto the field a full hour before his teammates. Fassel said he was pleased with both Allen and Peterson.

“The young guys were driving the ball, coming up and knocking some balls down,” he said.

After a shuffle in the first two games of the season, it appears the Giants are now set in their defensive backfield. Allen, the first-round pick from Syracuse, is a starter.

“I expected him to play great,” Garnes said. “For a rookie coming in like that, he did a great job.”